


Sun's Been Down for Days

by chezamanda



Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Ficlet, Post-Avengers (2012), Request Meme, Vacation, mild PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:12:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chezamanda/pseuds/chezamanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>There were dark circles beneath her eyes that told him she hadn’t slept.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sun's Been Down for Days

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by [katanutella](http://katanutella.tumblr.com): "Her Morning Elegance" + Clintasha + Vacation.
> 
> Title borrowed from the song in the request (though I fudged it a little to make it work as a title).

Though Natasha would never say it, Manhattan had shaken her up pretty badly. The fact that she had suggested getting out of the city instead of throwing herself back into work was proof enough for Clint. Armed with a couple bags and more than enough mandatory vacation time from S.H.I.E.L.D., the two of them headed upstate and put Manhattan behind them, at least for a little while. Neither had slept much the first couple of nights in the cabin, opting to sit up and keep their minds occupied with playing seemingly endless games of cards and a dusty old game of Connect Four Clint found in the hall closet. 

Eventually, their bodies and minds were too exhausted to ignore anymore, and they fell asleep tangled around each other as though they were trying to keep in constant contact even when they were sound asleep. Clint always slept better with Natasha nearby. Natasha was calm and Natasha was safe; he knew he was in good hands when she was around. 

They settled into a routine after that first week, Natasha would rise before Clint and start the coffee. The smell would usually wake him up, drawing him into the kitchen where he would tiredly grope for a mug before taking it, filled with strong, sugary coffee, over to the table where Natasha was reading. 

This morning wasn’t any different, except that Clint couldn’t remember Natasha going to bed with him the night before. He picked at the barely touched bagel on her plate, deciding whether or not to bring it up. There were dark circles beneath her eyes that told him she must not have slept.

“Another bad dream?” he asked. He knew it had to be that. Natasha slept whenever she could get the chance.

She nodded, turning the page in her book. Her curls had been pinned back away from her face and he could see the slight frown set on her lips. It must have been a pretty bad one. Not sure what he could say, Clint stood up and pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her. She paused a moment before her hands sunk into the material of his t-shirt and quietly sobbed against his chest. 

Contrary to popular opinion, Natasha did cry and not to manipulate a mark, but she only cried like this around the few people that she trusted. He hated when she was at that point, but he never tried to stop her, instead letting her get it out. She needed to be vulnerable sometimes, and he knew the only thing she needed from him was his presence.

“It’s okay, Tasha, I’m here,” he murmured into her hair. 

Once the tears had subsided, Clint guided her over to the couch where he let her rest her head on his lap. He stroked her hair and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch over her, letting her finally get some rest.


End file.
